Technologies

Best Battery Life Laptop 2023

For traveling or just staying unplugged, these are the longest-lasting laptops you can buy right now, as tested by our experts.

The whole point of a laptop is that you’re not tied to a desk or even a nearby power outlet. Whether it’s working on a plane or train, writing in a coffee shop, killing time on the couch or just lounging in bed, you want a portable computer to run as long as possible without its power cord. Long battery life is a big feature we look for in the best laptops we test and review.

Some PC-makers specifically aim for long battery life, using highly efficient components and special performance modes to extend usability. Gaming laptops, on the other hand, often use the highest-power parts possible and are lucky to last even a few hours. Some factors that affect battery life include screen resolution, CPU choice and the type of display panel used, from LCD to OLED.

Our CNET Labs team tests every laptop we review for both performance and battery life. We use a video playback test that streams a private video over Wi-Fi on an endless loop, with uniform screen brightness, volume and sleep/hibernate settings. More details on how we test computers can be found below.

This is not the most strenuous test possible, but it is one that’s replicable across many different products, so it allows for easy comparisons regardless of the operating system or manufacturer. The current top performers are MacBooks, which closely match the battery life estimates provided by Apple, and Chromebooks, which are known for their power efficiency. Our current top-performing Windows laptop ran for about half the time of our current top-performing MacBook. For real-world use that’s more power-hungry than streaming video, you can expect to get 50-75% of the scores here.

MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro)

$3,499 at Best Buy

This list includes Windows and MacOS laptops, Windows two-in-one hybrids and Chromebooks running Google’s Chrome OS. Not included are Android or iOS tablets. The laptops listed were tested in either 2022 or 2023 and are still available to buy. Systems we’ve published full reviews of are linked below; other systems are models we’ve tested only for comparison.

This list will be updated regularly as we test and review new laptops.

Best battery life laptops 2022/2023

Laptop name	Battery life in hours, minutes
Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro 2023)	24 h 34 m
Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)	20 h 53 m
Acer Chromebook 514	18 h 30 m
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022)	17 h 19 m
Acer Chromebook Spin 513	13 h 51 m
Acer Chromebook 714	13 h 38 m
LG Gram 16 2-in-1	12 h 47 m
Lenovo Yoga 7i (Gen 7)	12 h 45 m
Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED	12 h 19 m
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360	12 h 15 m
Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (2022)	12 h 3 m
HP Envy x360 15	11 h 56 m
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1	11 h 37 m
Dell Inspirion 16 Plus 7620	11 h 17 m
HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook	10 h 56 m
Microsoft Surface Pro 9	10 h 45 m
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i	10 h 43 m
HP Spectre x360 13.5	10 h 40 m
Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch, Gen 7)	10 h 31 m
Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Gaming	10 h 23 m
Dell XPS 13 9315	10 h 11 m
Dell XPS 15 9520	10 h 10 m
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro	10 h 5 m

Best battery life laptops 2022/2023 (in minutes)

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro 2023)

1,474

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)

1,253

Acer Chromebook 514

1,110

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022)

1,039

Acer Chromebook Spin 513

831

Acer Chromebook 714

818

LG Gram 16 2-in-1

767

Lenovo Yoga 7i (Gen 7)

765

Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED

739

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360

735

Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 (2022)

723

HP Envy x360 2-in-1

716

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1

697

Dell Inspirion 16 Plus 7620

677

HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook

656

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

645

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i

643

HP Spectre x360 14

640

Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch, Gen 7)

631

Lenovo IdeaPad Chromebook Gaming

623

Dell XPS 13 9315

611

Dell XPS 15 9520

610

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro

605

Note:

Longer bars indicate better performance.

System highlights

Lori Grunin/CNET

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro 2023)

Apple’s 2023 update to its flagship MacBook Pro 16-inch line follows the company’s usual MO. It offers a modest refresh from the more significantly redesigned 2021 model; notably, upgrades to the latest generation of M2-class processors, Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI 2.1,

Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro 2023) review

$3,499 at Best Buy

Get Price Alerts

You’re receiving price alerts for Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M2 Pro 2023)

Dan Ackerman/CNET

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022)

This M2 MacBook Pro has a gently rounded edge that tapers ever so slightly on the front side. It’s a throwback design that can be traced back more than a decade, starting with the first Retina-display MacBook Pro we reviewed in 2012 to the current Touch Bar design, first reviewed in 2016. Same body, same camera, same limited ports, same Touch Bar.

Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, M2, 2022) review

$1,299 at Apple

Josh Goldman/CNET

Acer Chromebook 514

Acer makes a lot of Chromebooks, and they come in a variety of configurations and screen sizes. The Chromebook 514 CB514-2H/T is what I would recommend to most people looking for a straight-up good Chrome OS experience in a compact lightweight body. Especially if your budget is under $500.

Acer Chromebook 514 review

$460 at Amazon

Get Price Alerts

You’re receiving price alerts for Acer Chromebook 514

Dan Ackerman/CNET

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022)

Even though it costs $200 more than its immediate predecessor, I still think the new M2 version of Apple’s MacBook Air is a great default starting place when you begin your laptop search, thanks to a new design, a larger display (13.6 inches versus the previous 13.3 inches), a faster M2 chip and a long-awaited upgrade to a higher-res webcam.

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M2, 2022) review

$1,199 at Apple

Josh Goldman/CNET

Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H)

Acer’s Spin 513 is an update of sorts to one of the best Chromebooks from 2021, the Spin 713. It’s a two-in-one convertible Chromebook with a 13.5-inch display that has a 3:2 aspect ratio. The extra vertical space means less scrolling when you’re working. The screen size is also close to that of letter-size paper, making it comfortable for notetaking in tablet mode with a USI pen.

Acer Chromebook Spin 513 review

$565 at Amazon

You’re receiving price alerts for Acer Chromebook Spin 513 (CP513-2H)

How we test computers

The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer-like devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device’s aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments.

The list of benchmarking software we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. The most important core tests we’re currently running on every compatible computer include: Primate Labs Geekbench 5, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10 and 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra.

A more detailed description of each benchmark and how we use it can be found in our How We Test Computers page.

The best laptops in every category

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Nov. 5

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 5.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Some of the clues are tricky, but we have all the answers, so read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Fresh addition to a pasta sauce, perhaps
Answer: BASIL

6A clue: Log ___ (water park ride)
Answer: FLUME

7A clue: Group of ships
Answer: FLEET

8A clue: Some drinks from «streams»
Answer: SODAS

9A clue: Documentarian Burns
Answer: KEN

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Closest pals, for short
Answer: BFFS

2D clue: «No problems here!»
Answer: ALLOK

3D clue: Shoe material in an Elvis hit
Answer: SUEDE

4D clue: «That is to say …»
Answer: IMEAN

5D clue: Tennis do-overs
Answer: LETS

Technologies

Apple Reportedly Planning Cheaper Macs to Compete With Budget Chromebooks, PCs

Apple doesn’t market its machines as affordable, but that could be changing.

Apple may release more affordable Mac laptops to compete with Chromebooks and budget-friendly Windows laptops as early as 2026.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports the company has plans to roll out a machine for «well under $1,000.» According to Gurman, the new laptop is already in early production under the codename J700. This matches earlier rumors that a low-cost MacBook Air was in the pipeline at around $599, which would allow Apple to directly compete with other cheap laptops, including Chromebooks and Windows PCs.

A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.

According to the report, costs will be kept down by using a lower-end LCD that’s smaller than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, potentially making the new affordable MacBook as small as 12 inches.

Another way Apple could reduce the cost is by using an A-series iPhone chip, which falls short of the top-tier performance offered by the MacBook Pro or the current M4 Air. The upcoming chip may be a variant of the A19 Pro chip that debuted with the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air, which Apple says is capable of MacBook-level performance.

As CNET senior editor Matt Elliott noted, the promise is a bold one. He speculates that the rumored $599 MacBook Air may get the same smartphone processor, or an M-series chip based on that architecture.

Bloomberg also reports that a MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro and M5 Max chip is in development, and Apple has completed work on a MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip, which is planned for release early next year.

The affordable laptop would be designed for casual users, students and businesses, specifically individuals who need a device for tasks such as web browsing, light media editing and document creation. The tech giant is also targeting the education market, as well as iPad buyers who may also want a traditional laptop.

«If this is strictly a move to entice consumers with a high-quality, lower-cost MacBook running MacOS in place of an iPad with a keyboard, then yes, Apple can likely take a chunk of that market,» said Josh Goldman, managing editor at CNET.

«Making inroads into the education market at this point, where Chromebooks have taken over since the pandemic, will prove challenging, though I’m sure it’s nothing that throwing billions of dollars at can’t fix,» CNET’s Goldman said.

This price range is ‘a big departure’

Price is likely to be key here. A $599 price tag would place the new Mac in the same range as more affordable Chromebooks and entry-level laptops, representing a significant change from Apple’s previous strategy.

«Apple potentially dipping into the Chromebook range of $300 to $500 with a new MacBook is a big departure,» said Goldman.

He notes that one of Apple’s most affordable MacBooks is the M4 MacBook Air, available new starting at $999 for the 13-inch model. Walmart still sells a new M1 MacBook Air, a 5-year-old laptop, for around $600.

By contrast, an iPad 11th Gen with a Magic Keyboard will run you around $600, making it clear that Apple’s target market for the rumored device is students and lighter users.

Apple typically hasn’t targeted the lower-priced segment of the market with its MacBooks. However, with consumer wallets under pressure from inflation, high tariffs and layoffs, an affordable MacBook could be imperative and timely.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Nov. 5, #408

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Nov. 5, No. 408.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is pretty diverse. The blue answers stuck out to me right away, because some of them are super famous and the others felt like they belonged with those names. If you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: How to see a game.

Green group hint: Soccer.

Blue group hint: Giddy up!

Purple group hint: Not a run play.